Marked by Masks and Secrets

Marked by Masks and Secrets - 4.5-star Romantasy

Whispers & Pages am 03.03.2026
Bewertungsnummer: 3064967
Bewertet: Buch (Taschenbuch)

The story takes place in the city of Etherdale in the kingdom of Ravenia. A world where humans, witches, shifters, and both born and turned vampires live among one another. Etherdale is the only human city with designated vampire-free zones. It’s progressive and far less influenced by vampires than the rest of the kingdom. A political decision made by the vampire king to give other creatures a place to thrive without fear. But that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Students are going missing regularly, corrupt human lords are involved in mortal slave trade, and tension simmers beneath the city’s surface. Etherdale is also home of the Masked Order – a secret society of turned vampires who were once human and now fight against the natural-born vampires. Some see them as a dangerous threat. Others believe they are the future of the kingdom. Evie is 24, a half-witch, and she settled in Etherdale with her 18-year-old human brother, whose has just started studying architecture. She crafts enchanted products and distributes them to local shops, dreaming of opening her own store one day. Evie is used to being overlooked, underestimated, and walked all over. Not even her boyfriend truly sees her. She often feels invisible and disappointed with her life, but over the years she’s learned to hide that hurt well. Kylo is everything that Evie claims to despise - a vampire and a member of the Masked Order, determined to take control of Etherdale and eventually the entire kingdom. The moment he notices Evie, he’s instantly drawn to her. What starts as curiosity turns into obsession. He follows her, observes her, trying to understand what it is about her that calls to him until he is utterly determined to protect her, possess her, and make her his. “Angel, I’m not sure addicted covers how fucking obsessed I am with you,” he said, his voice raw and quivering with intensity. “You have me downright consumed. In a way that should terrify the both of us. And, likely, the entire realm.” I’ve had so much fun reading this. The world building is fairly minimal, but the characters completely make up for it. The story is incredibly bingeable. It’s equal parts cute, sexy, dark, and heart-warming. If you’re a fan of The Vampire Diaries, this book will absolutely be for you. The MMC is very Damon Salavtore coded, and I loved every second I got to spend with Kylo. He’s dark, devious and ruthless, yet charming, charismatic, and deeply devoted. And yes … I loved how obsessed he is with Evie. She is his everything. Evie is such a sweet and lovable character. I adore her. Her character arc is so good. Watching her grow stronger, more confident, and more powerful with each chapter was so satisfying and I was her biggest fan, cheering for her while reading. Their relationship is unconventional, and the buildup happens rather quickly, but it totally worked for me. I especially enjoyed how Evie slowly learns how to push Kylo’s buttons. Their dynamic is fun, intense, and addictive. There’s also some humor sprinkled throughout. One running joke I loved: Kylo can never remember Evie’s ex-boyfriend’s name. Every time he refers to him, it’s a different name that starts with the same letter. It made me smile every single time. And Princeton deserves a special mention. What a fabulous side character. He completely owned every scene he appeared in. The last 15% of the book has a lot more tension and action, and it ends on a truly diabolical cliffhanger. I had no choice but to immediately pick up book two. Is this a literary masterpiece? No. Was I entertained? Absolutely. I had a spicy, addictive good time and honestly, sometimes that’s exactly what I want from a book. Story: 4.5 ⭐️ Spice: 4